We are delighted to welcome back Roger Knight who spoke to us previously in Autumn 1994 and in Spring 2005.
Roger David Verdon Knight was born on 6th September 1946 at Streatham, Surrey. He was educated at Dulwich College and St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge where he read Modern and Medieval Languages and won his blue 1967-70. As a schoolboy he showed a talent for a variety of sports, especially cricket and rugby.
Roger was a left-hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler who played for Cambridge University (1967-70), Surrey (1968-70 and 1978-84), Gloucestershire (1971-75) and Sussex (1976-77). He won his Gloucestershire cap in 1971, his Sussex cap in 1976 and his Surrey cap in 1978. He was Surrey captain from 1978-83 and had a benefit in 1984. Surrey’s performance in the County Championship was much improved under Roger’s captaincy which did not seem to affect his own run-making capability. During this period he worked alongside Micky Stewart who was Surrey’s Team Manager.
Roger was a schoolmaster cricketer who somehow managed to maintain 2 parallel careers. He was a tall and technically sound left-hander and a useful right-arm medium pacer. In 387 first-class matches he scored almost 20,000 first-class runs which included 31 centuries, 114 fifties and a top score of 165* (out of 304-6) for Sussex against Middlesex in June 1976. He passed 1,000 runs in 13 seasons. He also took 369 first-class wickets snaring 5 wickets in an innings 4 times with a best of 6/44. He also held 295 catches. Despite his consistency he never played for England although he did play in the Test trial match of 1974.
Roger was equally adept in one day cricket – 10 times Man of the Match, 5 of these whilst playing for Gloucestershire. With Surrey he won the NatWest Trophy in 1982.
When Roger retired from Surrey in 1984, aged 38, he became a Housemaster at Cranleigh School and, later, the Headmaster at Worksop College.
Roger has been a leading light in cricket administration holding a variety of posts including the MCC Committee (1989-92), Secretary of MCC (1994-2000), Secretary and Chief Executive of MCC (2000-06) – which coincided with Tom Graveney being President of MCC in 2004/2005 – and recently served as President of MCC from October 2015 to September 2016.
Roger is an Honorary Life Member of the MCC. He was awarded the OBE in the 2007 New Year’s Honours for services to cricket. He has given much both as a player and administrator.